Container top



Aug. 4-, 1936.

CONTAINER TOP Original Filed Sept. 55, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l my 51 2E] Josep P dlezayzaex? J. P. ALEXANDE Re. 20, 057

1936- J. P.-ALEXANDER Re. 20,057

CONTAINER TOP Original Filed Sept. 3, 1931' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 40 In operation,

Reiasued Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES This invention relates to an improved top or cover for containers and includes a novel method of packaging materials.

More specifically, this invention relates to a collapsible barrel top or metallic receptacle head which is capable of assuming a flattened position from an apexed original position.

In the packaging of materials which are in an expanded state when first inserted into the container and which assume a final volume less than when originally inserted, a partially filled package results. This condition is most frequently met with in the packaging of materials which are hot expanded liquids when first placed into the container and which contract and/or solidify upon cooling. Materials exhibiting these properties include, for example, tars, pitches, resins, chemicals such as caustic soda, phenol, and the like. Therefore, filling a container to the very so top with the hot expanded liquid does not result in a completely filled container after said material has cooled.

Also, in the packaging of finely comminuted solids or spongy bulky material, the complete 25 filling of the container seldom results in a completely filled package after the container has been allowed to stand and the contents permitted to settle.

Rosin, as a specific example oi a material which 80 is a hot expanded liquid when first packaged and solidifies upon cooling, is frequently packaged for shipment in light weight metal containers made of 28 to 30 gage plain or galvanized iron. The usual design for such a container is a cylinil drical or barrel shaped vessel with a fiat bottom and fiat top. The top is equipped with an opening of any suitable diameter through which the container is filled. This opening is later sealed with a lid or cap.

the container is filled level full with hot liquid rosin, but when the rosin is cold and has solidified, the volume is found to have decreased appreciably. This results in an empty space in the top of the container. In large scale commercial operation, it is not convenient or practicable to refill the drums by inserting additional molten rosin into the empty space.

A partially filled rosin container has many disadvantages and results in great waste. For ex- 50 ample, if an empty space is allowed to remain in the top of the container and the container is sealed for shipping, the light metal surroundins the cavity at the top is easily crushed and frequently results in a loosening or complete detachment of the entire top of the container. 1: this PATENT OFFICE 20,057 CONTAINER TOP Original No. 1,913,652, dated June 13, 1933, Serial No. 560,910, September reissue February 11, 1935, Serial No.

5 Claims. (Cl. 220-66) Fla" assignor,

3, 1931. Application for happens, the contents of the container might be lost, become contaminated and otherwise damaged. Furthermore, a partially filled container requires additional space for the storage of a given amount of rosin. 5

If the damage to the container itself is not pronounced, it is probable that the cavity in the container willbecome filled with water or some other undesirable foreign material and thereby damage the rosin.

The present invention provides a novel form of container construction which obviates all the objections heretofore encountered in the packaging of materials of the class described above.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel container structure capable oi assuming a contracted position to compensate for any decrease in volume of the contents of the container.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel process for the packaging of expandedmaterials which process insures a completely filled container wl out the necessity of refilling upon contraction of the contents.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide a collapsible container top which may be brought into contracted position without damage to the container structure.

top having in its distended position an apexed shape and capable without damage to the barrel of assuming a retracted position upon the application of outside pressure upon the top of the apex.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1- is an elevatlonal view, with parts broken away, of a container illustrating a preferred iform of the invention and showing the contents of the container in expanded form.

Figure 2 is an elevational view or the container, with parts broken away, showing the contents of the container in contracted form.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevational view, with parts in section, of the container top in retracted position level with the contracted contents of the container. I

Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the container top. V

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of an alternative form of container top especially useful in the packaging of liquids which do not solidify upon contraction.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a container end included in this invention in which only a portion thereof is distended and capable of being collapsed.

Figure 7 is a sectional view showing the container end of Figure 6 in retracted or collapsed form.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral l indicates the container body equipped with a collapsible convex or dome shaped top 2 according to the invention and sealed thereto by any means, such as by a reversed flange joint 3. The collapsible container top 2 is equipped with an opening 4 through which the container is filled.

The collapsible container top 2, as disclosed, has a corrugated surface l2 made up of concentric symmetrical corrugations. However, it should be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular design shown in the drawings. The container top may assume a pyramid shape if a rectangular or square container is used.

Furthermore, an oval shaped or any shaped top may be used to fit a correspondingly shaped container. The corrugations may or may not be symmetrically concentric. For example, they may radiate from the opening 4.

As shown in Figure 1, the reference numeral 5 indicates an expanded material completely filling the container up to the opening 4; Figure 2 discloses the same material after it has cooled and assumed a position shown by the reference numeral 6. A hollow space I therebyresults between the top surface of the contents and the top of the container.

As shown in Figures 2, 3, 6 and 7, the open,

assumed their contracted position, pressure is applied to the outside surface of the apexed container top, for example, by standing the container on the collapsible top end, whereupon the top assumes its retracted position shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the container top now has a flattened corrugated surface, preferably, although not necessarily, level with the top of the contents of the container.

The container top 2 may be equipped with a small hole 8 to allow the entrapped air in the empty space to escape when the top is collapsed, thereby permitting it to be crushed evenly. As Shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, this hole has been made in the corrugated container top. It may be provided in the lid In with identical results.

Figure 5 discloses an alternative form of lid or cover ll such as is ordinarily used in the packaging of liquids in a metal drum. The cap l4 engages in screw thread relation with a flange l5 made of a somewhat heavier gage metal than sided recessed portion I8 for receiving a wrench 'sition asshown in Figures 3 and 7.

to tightly fasten the cap. This type of cap is preferred when the container is filled with a liquid which does not solidify upon cooling but which when inserted is in a hot expanded condition and contracts considerably upon cooling. 5 The container top is of course not provided with a vent opening shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 but is necessarily air tight.

In the packaging of materials of this nature, the cap It may be inserted and thecontainer sealed while the contents are still in the hot expanded condition. As the contents contract upon cooling, a vacuum is created in the container which may of itself create enough difference in pressure so that the atmospheric conditions on the outside of the container are great enough to collapse the container top. However, the entire sealed container may be stood on end to aid the top in assuming .its retracted po- As shown in Figures 6 and '7, the container end may bemade with a fiat rigid portion 20, corrugated only near the cover III in the end. The corrugated portion is capable of being collapsed to assume a flattened retracted position as 25 shown in Figure 7. This arrangement of structure is especially adapted to the packaging of materials which do not contract or settle to an extent, sufiicient to permit the entire container end to assume a flattened position from an original 30 distended position as shown in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5. It also permits a more rigid construction since the portion 20 of the container end may be tempered or made of a heavier gage metal than the corrugated portion. Thus in the end on end 35 stacking of the containers the container end will be rigid enough to support a great load by itself.

It is to be understood that my invention contemplates the use ofany shaped container and that the design of container top or end may be widely varied without departing from the principles of this invention. Any type of Joint to secure the container top or end to the body of the container may be used, such as, for example, a welded joint or a detachable rim commonly used on drums or barrels to removably secure the head to the container itself. Any type of lid or cover may be used in the container head or end.

In general, my invention contemplates the use of any type of container top or end which is capable of assuming a retracted collapsed position without damage to the container in any manner.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A container for packaging rosin and the like which comprises a metallic drum having rigid side and bottom walls, a dome-shaped corrugated top capable of readily assuming a flatc5 tened position by collapsing the corrugations without weakening the structure, a flanged opening defined by the top forpermitting the filling of the container, a rigid cover for said opening to seal the drum and a vent in said top to allow 7 the escape of entrapped air in the drum.

2. A container for packaging rosin and the like materials which comprises, a metallic receptacle having a substantially flat bottom, a top for said receptacle, a dome portion near the cen- 75 ter 01 said top, rounded concentric corrugations in the sides oi! said dome portion capable 0! being collapsed without weakening the structure so that the dome may assume a flat position level with the top, an opening for filling the container in the top 01 said dome portion, sealing means for said opening, and a vent to allow the escape of entrapped air in the container.

3. A container for packag ng rosin and like materials, comprising a metallic receptacle having a side wall and a flat bottom, a dome shaped top secured to the top 01' said side wall having a filling opening therein, a closure therefor. said dome being formed with a plurality oi concentric corrugations presenting towards the base of the dome a plurality of concentric zones of consecutively increasing diameter, the crests and troughs of which are continuous and substantially uniform in curvature and may be flexed to de- 'press said dome without substantially weakening the structure.

4. A container comprising a metallic receptacle having a side wall and a supporting bottom wall, a dome-shaped top secured to the top of said side wall having a filling opening therein, a closure therefor, said dome being formed of sheet metal with a plurality of concentric corrugations presenting towards the base 01' the dome a plurality of concentric zones of consecutively increasing diameter, the crests and troughs of which are continuous in curvature and may be flexed to depress said dome.

5. A dome-shaped metallic container top designed for securing to a container body, the top of the dome having a filling opening therein, a closure for said opening, said dome being. formed with a plurality ofconcentric corrugations presenting towards the base of the dome a plurality of concentric zones of consecutively increasing diameter, the crests and troughs of which are continuous in curvature and may be flexedto depress said dome.

JOSEPH P. ALEXANDER 

